Places That Smell Bad
by Twinnie
Summary: AU vignette, pointless fluff, written some time after Counteragent. SD6 and the Alliance are still powerful. It's Vaughn's birthday...


**Happy Birthday, Daddy******

Summary: AU vignette, written some time after Counteragent. SD-6 and the Alliance are still powerful. Vaughn spends his birthday without those he loves the most.

Disclaimer: There wouldn't be any ring on Vaughn's finger if the characters were mine…

A/N: This is a part of what would have been a traditional Syd-And-Vaughn-Get-Together-And-Are-Somehow-Careless-Enough-To-Make-A-Baby-Even-If-The-Alliance-Will-Kill-Them-If-They-Find-Out fic. I never bothered to write it though, because it had been done so many times, and because Coming To Terms was so very good. However, the following scene was begging to be written. I had forgotten all about it, but found it again today and decided to post it; after all, there is never enough pointless fluff =)

Vaughn is spending his birthday with his mother and their family. But he gets a surprise…

Vaughn was busy trying to hide his depression when his cell phone rang. The caller's I.D. was hidden. Nothing unusual for someone in his line of work, still he couldn't help but feel a bit of apprehension. He excused himself, walked towards the kitchen and pressed the Answer button of the phone.

'Vaughn?'

'The line is secure. Two minutes. Someone I know wants to tell you something.'

He smiled as he waited for the phone to be passed to someone else. His grin widened when he heard the small voice. 

'Happy birthday Daddy. I love you.'

Strange how a single phone call could make one's day seem suddenly so much brighter. 'Thank you,' he answered in a soft voice. 'So, how are you, Baby?'

'Fine. Sandy broke my pink necklace in school, but I hid her earring and she won't find it so I don't care. Auntie Francie says she'll buy me a new necklace too, and Sandy's Mommy isn't gonna buy her a new earring. I don't like her.'

Vaughn smiled even more as he listened to his daughter's babbling. 'I'm sorry to hear about your necklace Baby, but you shouldn't have hidden Sandy's earring. Even if you don't like her.'

'I know. Mommy told me already.' Vaughn could almost see the sulking pout he was sure was on his child's face right now. 

'Did she tell you to give Sandy her earring back?'

'I'm not gonna.'

'Chloe...'

'It smells bad now, I don't wanna touch it. And I said Mommy where it was and she said not to touch it.'

'I said _to_ Mommy, Baby.' He figured he didn't really want to know where his daughter had hidden the other girl's earring that could smell so bad. 'I'm glad you phoned, you know.'

'Me too. I miss you.'

'I miss you and Mommy too.' Vaughn could feel the depression coming back. 'Can you give the phone to Mommy now, please?'

'Yes. When can I see you?'

'That's what I am going to see with Mommy, Baby. Good bye. I love you.'

He could hear the noise of the phone being passed into other hands again, and the two voices he loved the most in the world exchanging soft words. Then Sydney was talking to him.

'Hey.'

'Hi. Thank you. So much.'

'I hope you enjoyed the surprise,' Sydney said tenderly. 

'You have no idea how much.' He could hear Chloe talking as a background noise, and wished for the hundredth time he could be spending the day with his _other _ family too.

'So, are you able to run and see us now?'

'Not right now.' He checked his watch. 'I'm still at my mom's for a good two hours. I'll contact you.'

'You better not forget. I doubt you'll get any more presents otherwise…' 

'Are you blackmailing me?' He feigned to be outraged. 'Really, Miss, I never knew you were like that. It's no wonder then that your daughter hides other children's possessions in very doubtful places.'

Sydney chuckled. 'Why, and I who thought all of her flaws were inherited from her father...'

'As if he had any flaw at all.' He heard a giggle on the other end of the line. 'I am being very serious, you know.' The giggle turned into full laughter. A bittersweet smile crept upon his face. 'I'll see you two soon.'

'We still have 20 more seconds.'

'Can you use those twenty seconds to find a good explanation as to why I have been grinning like an idiot? To give my family after we hang up,' he explained.

'You are the brains here, not me. You'll manage.' They heard a high noise from what Vaughn guessed was Sydney's alarm. 

'I love you,' they whispered at the same time before they hung up.

-FIN


End file.
